DPW head Moylan to retire after 42 years

Public Works Commissioner Robert L. Moylan Jr. stands in front of one the city's snowplows in 2008.

As the city's public works chief for the past 20 years, Robert L. Moylan Jr. has steered the city through major construction projects and many storms.

He has been the city's point person on just about every major public construction project during his tenure, including the construction of new schools, the water filtration plant, municipal parking garages, the addition to the Worcester Public Library, parks renovations, as well as infrastructure related to the development of CitySquare and the expansion of the CSX freight terminal.

Mr. Moylan also has spearheaded city cleanup efforts following major weather events, such as this year's blizzard, the Blizzard of '78 and the ice storm of 2008.

But after 42 years of service to the city, Mr. Moylan will retire at the end of this year.

City Manager Michael V. O'Brien said Mr. Moylan, 65, presented him with a formal letter of retirement earlier this week.

Saying his powers of persuasion to convince Mr. Moylan to stay on for “one more year” are no longer effective, Mr. O'Brien said the commissioner will be retiring on or about Dec 31.

At that time Mr. Moylan will have completed more than 42 years of service to the city.

The manager said he intends to promote Paul Moosey, assistant commissioner of engineering, to the role of deputy commissioner on July 1, with the goal of eventually elevating him to acting commissioner when Mr. Moylan retires.

“These six months will allow (Mr. Moosey) to work side-by-side, literally, with Commissioner Moylan and know and understand all that is under his span of control and all that is under way, planned or in long-range thinking,” Mr. O'Brien said.

“I am very confident that we are preparing well for Commissioner Moylan's departure at the end of this year,” he added. “There is no question he will be sorely missed but I have every confidence that the same quality service that DPWP has provided in the past will continue after his retirement.”

Mr. O'Brien said the commissioner's departure will create a significant void in the city government because of the many duties he performed and excelled at.

In addition to running the Department of Public Works, one of the city's largest departments, Mr. Moylan also took on the responsibility of overseeing the Parks Department when the two were merged several years ago, as well as the maintenance of the 160-acre Hope Cemetery.

In addition to overseeing the construction projects, Mr. Moylan put together Worcester's nationally recognized curbside trash and recycling program in the early 1990s.

At the same time, the commissioner had to find ways to maintain DPW services during a time when budget cuts and difficult fiscal times for the city led to significant personnel cuts in his department.

Most recently, Mr. Moylan has been an outspoken critic of federal and state environmental water-quality mandates, which he contends have saddled local water users with high costs without significantly improving the quality of local water bodies.

“I know that I can speak for all of us who have been fortunate to serve with him over this span as we all work to position this great city for the bright future ahead,” Mr. O'Brien said. “His efforts within the department set the tone and the direction for the city, the region and the nation on topics such as recycling, clean water, preservation, infrastructure management and reinvestment, economic development and the list goes on and one.

“His technical, institutional and geo-political knowledge and generally amicable personality allow him to take on these often contentious issues and bring them to a positive result,” he added. “He is recognized for these progressive efforts and is often sought for his professional consult by those in industries and government.

Mr. Moylan began working for the city in 1971 as a junior civil engineer.

He quickly moved up through the ranks, and at age 30, he was appointed assistant DPW commissioner, and was the youngest person ever to serve in that capacity.

Mr. Moylan then served as deputy DPW commissioner and was Commissioner F. Worth Landers' right-hand man for many years.

Then City Manager William J. Mulford appointed Mr. Moylan DPW commissioner in 1993 when Mr. Landers retired.

In his letter of retirement to the city manager, Mr. Moylan said it has been “an honor and privilege” to be commissioner for the past 20 years and to serve the city.

“Worcester is the city in which I was born and raised and being able to serve this community, to hopefully have made a difference, has made my career particularly rewarding,” he wrote. “However, it is now time to move on to another chapter in my life in pursuit of other interests.”

Mr. Moylan also praised his “outstanding staff of dedicated employees” that he has had during his tenure.

He said the team he leaves behind is “experienced, knowledgeable, committed and hard-working.”

“They work tirelessly for the citizens of Worcester and so I know that I leave the department in very good hands,” Mr. Moylan said. “I am confident that this department will transition seamlessly under the leadership of my replacement.”